Government Vouchers for "Covid Hit" Industries

[Dave Fielder]

I wonder if Pendraken could outsource to IKEA and/or B&Q ...

[steve_holmes_11]

Let's see if it actually happens !

Like Leon....very unlikely to go to the pub....But a few takeaways would be a treat.
There are some local shops, that would definitely have been hit, that I'd be happy to use 'vouchers' in.

Mark's right in the point that it'll save some folk money....rather than spending their own.

Perfect example for me, would be buying a replacement oven from the local 'electrical' shop.....That'll save us a few hundred quid, which we would have had to spend at some stage.
Ooooo....and a new chainsaw, from the 'garden' shop in Cardigan !

Like I say.....I'll believe it, if, and when, it happens.

Cheers - Phil

Like you, I'm inclined to think it was a nice soundbite, which will quickly be consigned to the dustbin of history.

It won't stop me dreaming about a free monkey to spend on armies. (That'll buy a lot of painting sticks).

[Steve J]

I wonder if Pendraken could outsource to IKEA and/or B&Q ...

Now that would be good

[John Cook]

Dream on - I'm fairly certain that wargames manufacturers will not fall into any of the "certain sectors" mentioned.

[Leon]

I sell garden fencing for very, very small gardens...

[Ithoriel]

I sell garden fencing for very, very small gardens...

And teeny-tiny, historically themed, garden gnomes?

[DecemDave]

Just to add to this rant thread.  Being retired, the money I spend with our eponymous purveyor of shiny wargame products largely comes from big company dividends either directly (almost NIL in the last three months) or via that small group of shareholders called pension funds who actually own most of the big UK quoted companies.  The state pension if I eventually live long enough to reach the ever shifting qualifying age, will barely cover food bills.  Although I agree I could do with eating less after 3 months locked down .  And as for pubs, I live in the Sarf so I can either buy a round of drinks or a new army pack.

Where did I leave that violin.....

The good news is that Leon is also a supplier of crates of apples (DUN-FUR10) I have bought some previously so there must be scope for these new voucher thingies.

[Techno]

Well.....I'll be living off kebabs, fish and chips, and Chinese takeaways in August.

Assuming (ahem) that the £10 off per customer is valid in takeaways, as well as restaurants.......Bet it isn't.

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

The 5% VAT isn't !

[Techno]

You're right, Matey.

You only pay VAT on 'sit in' meals, don't you....Takeaways don't attract VAT. (I think)

Have to say the money off 'vouchers' for sit in meals doesn't appeal to us......Especially as every man and his dog are going to be trying to goi into the pubs/restaurants on just those three days per week, during August.

I fear I'm still going to be avoiding potentially 'crowded' areas for a fair old while yet.

Cheers - Phil

[Orcs]

You're right, Matey.

You only pay VAT on 'sit in' meals, don't you....Takeaways don't attract VAT. (I think) :-

Cheers - Phil

V
VAT has been payable on "hot" takeaway food for years Phil

[Orcs]

So you get 50%  (up to £10 a head ) off your meal out on Monday - Wednesday.

Not sure how this is going to help. The cynic in me suggests  all this will do is get people to go out on these days rather than the rest of the week. I doubt they will spend any more than normal (you can only eat so much) and effectively pocket the discount.

[Raider4]

You only pay VAT on 'sit in' meals, don't you....Takeaways don't attract VAT. (I think) :-

Remembers the days when the burgers in Wimpy were a different price* depending on eat-in or takeaway, and were served in different colour wrappers to indicate which.

A friend of mine was chased out for daring to sneak his take-out burger up to the upstairs dining area.

* Think the difference was only 3p or something.

[Techno]

VAT has been payable on "hot" takeaway food for years Phil

Thanks, Mark. 

What I find the most confusing, re the VAT on hot food is.....

If it's VAT rated if it's destined for "immediate" consumption...(I believe that's 'the rule'.).....That would/could include something like a kebab, which could be eaten as soon as you're outside the takeaway....Same for fish and chips....You could eat either of those straightaway.

But what about a Chinese takeaway ?........You can't really eat that, as soon as you're outside the 'shop'....Got to wait until you're home. So that's not what I'd class as ''immediate'.......But, if there is VAT on it (20%) that might make them slightly cheaper, for the time being, 'cos the VAT will go down to 5% ?

Finally...Wasn't there 'a row'' about hot sausage rolls, a few years ago ?..........'They' added VAT, and then took it off again, when it was decided that a lot of folk ate them later, when the rolls had cooled down.

Cheers - Phil.

[steve_holmes_11]

I sell garden fencing for very, very small gardens...

That's the spirit!

[Leon]

Assuming (ahem) that the £10 off per customer is valid in takeaways, as well as restaurants.......Bet it isn't.

It's not sadly...!

Not sure how this is going to help. The cynic in me suggests  all this will do is get people to go out on these days rather than the rest of the week. I doubt they will spend any more than normal (you can only eat so much) and effectively pocket the discount.

I suppose so but you're getting a half-price meal and then the government will be reimbursing the restaurant with the other 50%, so it gets more people going out for food and the businesses don't take the loss.

What I find the most confusing, re the VAT on hot food is.....

When they say 'hot' food it's purely hot food taken away from a pub, restaurant or cafe, so not proper takeaways.  It's to tempt people back to the businesses that have mainly been closed through this, and encourage a few more sales for them.  The question is going to be whether the pub/restaurant/cafe actually discounts the prices to reflect the VAT reduction, or whether they just pocket the difference themselves.  I could understand them doing that after so much lost revenue, but it's a little self-defeating when you're supposed to be taking advantage of a discounted VAT period where you can entice customers in without losing any money.

[Steve J]

I wonder whether the menu prices will increase to help offset the losses incurred so far? A friend popped by yesterday and mentioned her son's normal barber had increased his prices from £14 (normal for Bristol) to £20 per haircut.

[Techno]

Ouch !

The other thing that might happen with the VAT reduction, is that the actual price of the meal may not go down.....it could just mean that the pub/restaurant won't have to pass on so much to the Vatman.  (?)

Cheers - Phil

[fsn]

The mildly lovely Scotch "Sheep Dip" was apparently so named so that farmers could escape the scrutiny of the tax man.

May I propose a new range of Pendraken figures?
The burger and chips
The sweet and sour beef
The vegan rainbow falafel mezze

[Orcs]

Ouch !

The other thing that might happen with the VAT reduction, is that the actual price of the meal may not go down.....it could just mean that the pub/restaurant won't have to pass on so much to the Vatman.  :- (?)

Cheers - Phil

Apparently this is exactly what happened in other countries that did a similar thing